In a daring sea rescue operation, two units of the Moroccan Royal Navy saved 68 individuals from a distressed boat, including two deceased, approximately 16 kilometres southwest of Dakhla, Morocco.
The rescued, all originating from sub-Saharan Africa, were attempting to migrate illegally to the Canary Islands.
The incident occurred on August 5th, as confirmed by a Moroccan Royal Armed Forces statement.
Following the rescue, the migrants received first aid and were subsequently transported to the port of Dakhla for handover to the appropriate security authorities.
Last month, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France recognizes a plan for autonomy for the Western Sahara region under Moroccan sovereignty as the only way to resolve the long-standing dispute over the territory.
The conflict, which dates back to 1975, pits Morocco against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks an independent state in the region.
As the former colonial power in the area, France has balanced diplomatic relations between Rabat and Algiers.
However, most of France’s Western allies already support Morocco’s plan. The decision has angered Algeria, prompting it to withdraw its ambassador to France and appoint a charge d’affaires to handle diplomatic matters.
“For France, autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the framework within which this issue must be resolved,” Macron wrote in a letter to King Mohammed VI.
Last month, French police evacuated numerous migrants from the capital city, Paris, in preparation for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.
According to Russia’s Sputnik News Agency, a worker from French social services reported that the migrants would be transported by bus to other regions of the country and to buffer zones within the capital area.
